In factories that manufacture glass sheets which are used, for example, as LCD glass substrates, protective films are laminated on both surfaces of a manufactured glass sheet at the final stations of transportation conveyors for conveying the manufactured glass sheets. The purpose of the protective films is to protect the glass surface quality during subsequent glass handling processes.
Typically, when such a protective film is laminated on the surfaces of a glass sheet, a press roller is used to laminate thereon the protective film unwound from a film roll as described, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-347118.
However, in the case that protective films are automatically and simultaneously laminated on both surfaces of glass sheets having comparatively large areas, large film laminating apparatuses are required. Further, it is difficult to introduce film laminating apparatuses directly that is, in line, in a downstream part of glass sheet manufacturing lines.
In addition, demand for improved productivity of glass, increases in the amount of glass supply, and reduction of cycle times of the glass production process is becoming great. Therefore, it is necessary to meet these demands.